


Tommy Knows: "Year's End"

by ThomE_Gemcity_06



Series: Eloquence of a Secret [9]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon-divergence, Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode: s1e09 - “Year's End", Friendship, Gen, Light Flirting, Post canon-typical violence, Secrets, Tommy Knows!, relationship drama
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-05
Updated: 2017-06-05
Packaged: 2018-11-09 11:12:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11103390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThomE_Gemcity_06/pseuds/ThomE_Gemcity_06
Summary: It must be Christmas because Tommy finally gets to meet IT Girl! If only all things were so great.





	Tommy Knows: "Year's End"

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Arrow, its episodes or its characters.   
> Tag: Season 1, Episode 9 - "Year's End"

**aRRoW**

"How was dinner with dear old dad?" Tommy asked, intercepting Oliver and Diggle in the foyer as he came down the stairs. But he closed the distance as he saw their Hood-faces. "What's wrong?"

"Business." Oliver said.

"Great!" Tommy said brightly, knowing exactly what his friend was trying to do. "Being your newly-minted general manger, I'll join you." He quickly slipped on his coat. "Well? I assume this was an emergency with the rush you're in."

**...**

"Adam Hunt?" Tommy asked, "Was that the guy that the Hood stole, like, $40 million from on the night of your welcome home party?" Oliver nodded. "I was not as drunk as I wanted to be that night." He remarked. "And now this Nelson Ravich?"

"So what's another archer doing taking out names you crossed out?" Diggle wondered. "Two is more than a coincidence. Is he calling you out?"

"Whatever he's trying to do, it needs to stop." Oliver growled. "I need to get my hands on one of those arrows, then I'll be able to get a bead on this archer."

"And how exactly are you going to do that?" Diggle asked. "The arrows are in police evidence. You plan on breaking into the precinct again?"

"That won't work this time," Oliver noted. "I'm going to have to go to Det. Lance."

"Okay, a couple things," Tommy spoke. "One, we'll talk about what he just said before, later." He pointed at Diggle. "And second, I thought I just heard you say you were going to go to Lance—as the Hood?"

Oliver turned to him. "Look, Lance hates _me_ and he's out for the vigilante's blood, but he won't let his own personal feelings get in the way of doing his job—he's not that kind of man. I heard him talking at the scene; he doesn't think it's m-- The Hood."

"Back to Diggle's question: how are you going to accomplish this?"

"Cell phone." Oliver said simply, holding up an encrypted cell.

"Are we going Hood Express?" Tommy said sarcastically, but Oliver just looked like Tommy gave him a great idea. "You're kidding, right? You can't just mail him some cell phone!"

**...**

"I can't believe Lance actually gave you that." Tommy said in awe.

"He's desperate. The police commissioner wants to blame all this on The Hood instead of catch the real killer; Lance isn't going to let that stand." Oliver examined the sleek black arrow, "This is definitely a custom job. Teflon-coated titanium blades, serrated to split the bone. The shaft is some type of specialized polymer—stronger than your typical carbon fibre."

"Yes, thank you for making those sound as scary as they look." Tommy said. "But what exactly does that tell us, how are you supposed to find this guy?"

Oliver flicked a glance at Diggle. "We're going to have to go outside present company."

"YES!" Tommy jumped to his feet. "This is my Christmas present!" he declared and got two confused looks. "You're going to visit IT Girl. I'm going." He clapped his hands and raised them overhead in cheer. "Executive decision!"

"And who say you get an executive decision?" Oliver raised a brow.

"I've decided that I get executive decision, by executive decision of self appointment."

Oliver was too amused by the notion to argue further. "Now I just have a Christmas party to plan."

"Are you sure you don't want any help with that?" Tommy started to offer, but Oliver shook his head.

"Like I told Thea; this is gonna be all me."

**X**

Tommy had dropped off a little present for Laurel that he had found while he'd been packing up his apartment. Lance was there, and was a little more crusty than usual; which Tommy understood, it being the Holiday and Sara's absence. He left an open invitation to her on Oliver's behalf to the Christmas bash that the blond was so intent on throwing, before he rushed back to join the man on his visit to QC.

"Felicity?" Oliver knocked on the office door and stuck his head in.

"Oliver?" Felicity looked up from her tablet in surprise. "I didn't hear you coming. Er--"

"Can I ask a favour?"

"Sure, co-- enter." Oliver stepped in and Tommy quickly followed. "Or, should I say: Oliver and friend."

"This is--"

"Tommy Merlyn." Tommy stepped forward, hand extended. "Best-friend and brains of the ensemble." Oliver gave him a glower. "And you're Felicity... Smoak," he read the nameplate on the edge of her desk. "It's great to finally meet you, Oliver talks about you all the time."

"Oh." Felicity remarked. "I really hope that's not true. Otherwise you'd be talking about me in the bathroom or in bed..." her eyes widened. "Not that you would talk about me in bed or I would ever be in your bed--" she cringed, cutting herself off. "Sorry."

Tommy grinned, sitting in one of the chairs in front of her desk. "You do _not_ need to apologize." He assured. He looked to Oliver, still standing. "Best Christmas present ever."

"Christmas present?" Felicity wondered.

"I've been trying to get Oliver to let me meet you for a while," he explained. "But someone was being possessive." He nudged his friend hip with an elbow.

"Ahem. Speaking of presents..." Oliver interceded. "Our buddy Steve is really into archery. We wanted to get him more arrows as a Christmas present, but they're custom-made." He took the arrow that Lance had given them from a cardboard tube and held it out. "Do you think you can figure out where he got them?"

"Huh. Oliver, Tommy, and Steve." Felicity mused. "It just doesn't have the same ring to it." But she carefully took the pointy weapon from Oliver.

"Oh, yeah. Steve's a great buddy of ours." Tommy nodded.

"Alright." She typed on her computer. "The shaft composite is patented to... Sagittarius, not the zodiac sign which coincidently represent the archer, but the company." She looked up at him. "Do you want me to order them for you?"

"No, no." Oliver said. "We can do that. Thank you." He took the arrow back. "Thanks again for the help, Felicity." Oliver nodded and left. 

"Merry Christmas." Tommy said in parting, about to follow Oliver out.

"I'm Jewish." She blurted.

Tommy paused and turned back. "So you're against Christmas, then?"

"What? Of course not? Who could be against Christmas? It's like being against chocolate! It's impossible."

"I don't like chocolate." Tommy told her with a straight face.

She blinked rapidly behind her glasses, her lips slightly parted as she was derailed by his admittance. "Really? That must be terrible for you," she whispered.

Tommy chuckled. "No, I like chocolate just fine; I just wanted to see your face. It was cute."

She went red. "Lying to me already."

"Just wanted to make sure you were paying attention." He said. "Listen, Oliver's throwing a last-minute Christmas party at the mansion. You should come."

"I don't think that would be appropriate." Felicity said. "I hardly know Oliver and I just met you."

"Friend's aren't made by caution," he advised. "How about... you think of it as a work requirement?"

"You're not a Queen. You don't even work here! You can't just order me to go to a Christmas party thrown by my boss's step-son."

"I _am_ said step-son's best-friend, I have sanction-rights in his stead." Tommy pointed out. "Do you have plans for that night?" Felicity stammered, scrambling for an excuse. "There you go, you do now. Besides, are you willing to risk it, Ms. Smoak?" he teased, "You seem like a very conscientious worker to me. You don't want to give the wrong impression, do you? Declining the invitation to your boss's step-son's Christmas party via your boss's step-son's best-friend?" He winked and departed before she could refuse. Now he wondered if she was actually going to show.

**X**

Tommy was glad that Laurel had decided to come and not hide away with Lance for the Holidays, but he quickly made his excuses as he saw the blond tentatively enter the foyer.

"You came!" Tommy smiled, handing her coat and scarf to the attendant. "There's not a rebellious bone in your body, is there?"

"If I hang around you long enough, I'm sure that will change." She replied. "Turn my bones black."

"Black? I'm hurt," He put a mock hand to his heart. "Grey at the most. I've mellowed out in my old-age." That got him a small smile.

Felicity took a deep breath. "I decided to brave the awkwardness."

"Well, go, Ms. Smoak, dive into that awkwardness head-first," he swept his arm outward. "Because I'm going to abandon you for a minute."

"What? Bu--" but he was already gone. Felicity's eyes widened as she swallowed and looked at all the richy-rich.

"Felicity?"

"Mr. Steele," she said nervously.

"Are you here for me?"

"No, sir. Me." Tommy suddenly popped back up at her side. "Hope you don't mind."

"Of course not." Walter nodded to the woman. "Enjoy yourselves." He left the pair.

"Phew, that was a close one." Tommy joked.

Felicity gave him a glare, smacking him on the chest without thought. "That's not funny."

"What are you worried about?" he asked. "98% of the guest list is business associates. You'll blend right in. Eggnog?" he held a glass to her. "With a little extra Holiday cheer." His brows waggled.

"My kind of ‘nog," she muttered. She took the ‘nog with a murmured thanks and took a precious sip. "I've only been in your company for a collective of under two hours and already you're a bad influence."

Tommy grinned. "That sounds like a challenge."

"No, no. That was _not_ a challenge. Definitely not a challenge." She shook her head rapidly.

"Oh, but the gauntlet has been thrown." Tommy's eyes twinkled.

Felicity protested, "I distinctly remember no gauntlet being thrown!"

"Felicity." She stopped at his tone. He leaned close and whispered, "I'll be gentle, promise." And winked.

She made a sound at the back of her throat and her cheeks went hot. "You are terrible, Tommy Merlyn!"

Tommy pulled back and chuckled. "Terrible in a lovable way."

Tommy caught sight of Diggle taking Oliver to an unoccupied room and he knew it was Hood business happening. Did the other archer kill someone else from Ollie's list? Why did it have to be tonight of all nights?

"Laurel?" Tommy quickly waved the woman over. "This is Felicity, she works at QC." And he quickly left them.

"Oh, umm..."

"Hi," they said at the same time and chuckled.

Tommy found Oliver and Diggle in the family room. "What's up?"

Diggle gestured at the TV. "‘ _For the past 3 months this city has been laid siege by a vigilante. But the police have been unable to bring him to justice because they lack the will to do what justice demands. I will kill one hostage every hour in the name of this vigilante until he surrenders himself to my authority.’"_

"Holy crap!" Tommy exclaimed in horror. "He took hostages?"

"Police are on the scene, let them handle this." Diggle advised, looking at Oliver.

"Those people are there because of me." Oliver said gruffly, unable to tear his eyes from the TV. "I have to end this."

"Diggle's right--" Tommy started.

Oliver turned to him with hard eyes. "What makes you think they're better equipped at taking this monster down than I am?" he gestured at the TV.

"Guns!" Tommy told him. "They have guns and they have numbers!"

"I've gone against guns and the only thing they did was slow me down. No," he shook his head. "It has to be me. There wasn't anything on the island that wasn't twice as dangerous as this pretender—and I survived."

"Then we better go before he kills a hostage." Diggle said.

Tommy sighed and watched his friends depart. It was friggin Christmas, couldn't this asshole at least wait until after the Holidays? He slumped onto the couch arm and stared helplessly at the TV.

"Hey, you okay?" Felicity appeared at his side.

"Yeah. Just the Grinch making an appearance." He turned off the TV and stood. "Refill?" he asked.

"Yes, please." She smiled. "But make it a virgin this time. The last thing I need is to get drunk at my boss's house."

**X**

"God, Ollie." Tommy closed the hospital room door behind him. Visiting hours were over, but he'd managed to sneak by the nurses station. "How you doing, buddy?" he approached the bed. The worse he had seen Oliver injured was the bullet graze from Deadshot, but this was different, because it was utterly visible; Oliver's face covered in molten bruises and nicks.

Oliver swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood stiffly with a quiet grunt. Tommy fought the urge to go and put a supporting hand on his friend, because Oliver was projecting and it screamed DON'T TOUCH! Oliver stood at the window, staring out into the Starling night. His back was to them, but Tommy could make the blurry mirage of his best-friend’s reflection and it put a lump in his throat. 

"When I confront somebody on the list, I tell them they failed this city." There was a pregnant silence. "But tonight—it was me who failed."

"Oliver!" Tommy was utterly taken aback. "You're not dead. You're not defeated. You'll have another go at this asshole and next time, you'll take care of him. Now that you know what you're up against, the advantage is on your side."

But Oliver was just silent and it didn't bode well with either sidekick and partner.

"Oliver, five hostages are home tonight with their families enjoying the holidays because of you." Diggle reminded him. "This other archer... he'll get his. And you'll give it to him.

When Oliver did finally speak, it was gravely: "I think there's someone else out there who is more of a danger than the archer."

"What do you mean?" Tommy questioned, sure he had missed something.

"The archer told me that somebody compiled the list. I always assumed it was my father but now I'm not so sure." Oliver promised, "But I'm going to find out—And I am going to take him down."

f

**aRROW**

**Author's Note:**

> So, what's your take on my bringing Tommy to meet Felicity earlier in the season as opposed to waiting to introduce them in **Episode 14: Odyssey?**


End file.
